Military personnel often work in hazardous environments and are frequently exposed to ballistic threats such as bullets and fragments from explosive devices such as bombs and roadside IEDs (improvised explosive devices). Personnel operating in these environments may be issued with a sleeveless protective jacket for wearing in combination with standard military uniform. The protective jacket comprises front and rear pockets each extending over the front and rear torso regions for receiving a ballistic resistant plate, typically composed of a composite of multiple layers of ballistic resistant fabric such as an aramid material and embedded epoxy resin which are heat pressed together. The front and rear protective plates assist in preventing bullets and fragments from damaging vital organs. An optional ballistic resistant plate is also often worn that extends below the pelvis of a wearer to protect the pelvic and groin regions of the wearer from direct impacts.
In more dangerous conditions, typically geared towards explosive device and bomb disposal applications, military personnel may be provided with suits including full body protective armour. These suits typically also include a ballistic resistant plate that extends to cover the pelvic region of a wearer and below the groin region.
It has been discovered by the applicant, that while these protective elements, and in particular the ballistic resistant plate that extends below the pelvis and groin region of a wearer, provides protection from direct impacts from bullets and other explosive fragments, when a bullet or fragment impacts the ground surrounding the user, sand or other fragmentary matter has a tendency of deflecting up and underneath the ballistic resistant plate. This has caused serious injury to the pelvic and grown regions of armoured personnel. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a protective garment that can be worn in combination with a ballistic resistant plate, and that provides protection to the pelvic and/or groin regions of a wearer from projectiles, such as sand entering from an area underneath the ballistic resistant plate.
While some prior art solutions have extended the ballistic resistant plate lower, this tends to impede movement. Other prior art solutions have provided for protective pants that attach directly to the blast plate or other underlying garments, this creates a barrier for the mobility of the wearer. Accordingly, there is a further need in the art for a protective garment that can be easily donned and doffed in combination with other protective military suits.
It is an objective of the invention to provide a solution to the aforementioned, and other problems with the prior art.